Tuesday, December 30, 2008

I wasn't really that calm and cool the day of our wedding. If it wasn't for Stephanie and my wonderful bridesmaids, I would have been a total mess. There were just so many details and I was so excited and anxious that it was hard to sit still and let the absolute joy of the day sink in all the way.

But this bride {at least in this picture} exemplifies all that a bride should be on her wedding day. Ready. Hopeful. In awe of the moment. And this picture, my friends, is another must have. Would this not immediately be framed as a favorite?

I have to admit, I'm not one for the traditional "dress shot." It's just {normally} not one of the top 20 pictures from a wedding day that I would love so much and want to frame. But if this were my dress shot, it would have it's own pretty little frame and sit right next to my bathroom sink.

When the hair and make up is done, the dress is on and the veil has been placed atop the head there comes a moment when a women becomes a bride. And she glows. This picture, by evoke photography, just makes me smile.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Dear Santa,I don't know when the last time was that we cleaned out our chimney. So I'll just leave the side door unlocked for you. Rice krispie treats and a diet mountain dew {my favorite late night combo} will be in front of the stockings for you. And carrots for the reindeer, of course. Oh, and if you don't have the reindeer park it on the roof, then please make sure they don't play in the yard. We wouldn't want their hooves to tear up the grass.xoxo, jessicalynn

Dear my little bloggity blog,The hectic-ness of the holiday season has caught up with me and I have neglected you recently. Sorry about that. Soon I will grab a glass of wine and get all caught up with you.xoxo, jessicalynn

Dear reader friends,See you next year, or perhaps once or twice before then. Happy holidays! Here's your pretty picture for this post from Jennifer Skog.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Doesn't this photo exemplify how every bride should feel in her wedding dress? She should feel beautiful, have the urge to look at it, touch it, want to ruffle it, twirl in it and become fascinated by it. Because, for a day, it has turned her into a bride.

I just had to share these two signs that I came across recently. They are adorable, I pinky promise.The picture below {almost} makes me wish that Chris and I got married outside in a completely rustic setting. I have seen "wedding" signs before, but "nuptials" is much more romantic.The next two signs were featured on Style Me Pretty not too long ago. I did a double take after seeing these signs for the first time...that's how cute they are. The first sign is informational while the second is witty. Just a little detail that your guests surely wouldn't be able to forget! If you are having an outdoor wedding or reception, wooden signs can be a relatively small detail that your guests will adore.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Previously, in this post and this post, I blogged about how I wanted to take pictures outside of a mansion/historic home on our wedding day. Our family friends obliged and after the ceremony we hopped in the car for a little jaunt over to their house on Meridian Street in Indianapolis.Here are just a few of the pictures that we took in our 10 minute visit.

I had saved the picture below in my inspiration files at some point before our wedding. Imagine my delight in going through our photos when I that two of our photos in front of the mansion were similar to the striking picture captured by rebekah westover!

We also took our thank you card pictures outside of this house. You can see them here. Chris and I would like to thank Jim & Peggy for inviting us over to their house. We're so glad we captured these pictures!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

This week I have the honor of guest blogging for Aletha over at the lovely Pearls Events blog. I've been following Aletha's blog basically since day one. If she didn't live so far away I have a feeling that we would meet weekly at Starbucks with our peppermint mochas and delve into the latest bridal magazines together.

Over at Pearls Events, I'll be blogging a series about the gorgeous pictures and ideas that helped inspire the details that sparkled at our wedding. So, grab a peppermint mocha and stop by Pearls Events everyday this week! See you there!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Previously in the post, tying the knot: reception details, I shared some of my favorite pictures of details from reception. Now, it's time to let you all in on the details behind one of our favorite details, the blurb book and lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

I knew early in the planning process that I wanted to have a blurb book serve as our guest book. I incorporated our engagement photos into the layout along with pages left blank for our guests to sign and I couldn't have been happier with how the book turned out. Our guests loved seeing our engagement pictures and the book is now displayed on one of our end tables. So here's how I made ours:

I went with the standard landscape 20 page hard copy book with the dust jacket cover. We chose an image for the dust jacket cover and then customized the cover with our new "married couple" name and the date of our wedding. The spine reflected our new "married couple" name and "The Guestbook." There were a number of photo layouts to choose from, but I stuck with just three photo layouts, which were displayed on every left-hand page of the book. The four picture layout was the layout that I used the most.

But the full page spreads were my favorite.

I incorporated this three picture layout from time to time.

In every layout with multiple pictures, I attempted to keep the pictures to either all color pictures or all black and white pictures...I just felt like it looked better.

Every right hand side of the blurb layout was blank, except for a light border. With 150 guests at our wedding, I assumed that 1 person per couple would sign our guest book and write a short little note to us. Therefore, I needed room for about 75 couples. Spacing it out I figured out that there was room on each page for about 8 people (couples) to sign/ write notes. Thus, I needed about 9 blank pages. So we went with a 20 page book (1 title page, 9 left pages with pictures, 9 blank right pages for writing/signing, and one final closing page). It worked out perfectly.

Here's a picture from our wedding day of the blurb guest book in action.

Lesson Learned #14: If you opt for a traditional plain guest book filled with lined pages, your guests will have as much fun signing it as they would signing their mortgage check. Take the time to create a personalized guest book. Make a blurb book, use the wish tree concept or have your guests sign a signature mat. Whatever you do, just give your guests something to do or something special to look at while they sign their names in your guest book. Bring a smile to their faces and their words will bring a smile to yours when you read their words in the years to come.

Previously in this post, I was contemplating what we could and would do for our thank you cards. Now, it's time to reveal our thank you cards to all of you and share the lessons that I learned from creating and making them. And, of course, I'll have some pretty pictures to display along the way!

A month before the wedding, I was already thinking about a concept for our thank you cards. I wanted the recipients to feel our appreciation ooze out of the cards as they remarked how darling they were. So, Chris got to work crafting the perfect "thank" and "you" signs for our thank you card picture. The signs were flawless and beautiful, if I do say so myself.

By this time, Chris had seen enough of our monogram, but I begged for it to be incorporated. You can't blame a girl for her love of a monogram and a cohesive theme. The front of our card was a collage of some of our favorite wedding pictures.

Thanks to April from Blu Sky Designs for helping us tweak the front of our design.

Half of the back of our card displayed the "thank you" picture we took on our wedding day. The other half of the card was blank, which is where I wrote our thank you note.

Hint #1: Google Vista Print coupons. You should be able to get the product you want for at least 50% off.

Hint #2: Purchase the standard shipping. You will be quoted 21 days shipping, but it will come within 5-7 days.

Lesson learned #15: Your thank you notes don't have to be boring or expensive. Get creative and give something for your guests to smile about. And if you use Vista Print, you'll save yourself a good chunk of cash and get a great product. That's something to smile about.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Previously in the post, tying the knot: the cake, I shared some of my favorite pictures of our cake and how Chris managed to smash a nice piece of it in my face. Now, it's time to let you all in the details behind our cake and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

I was a bride that did my research. I went to the bridal shows around town, I read all the wedding related blogs that I could find and I compiled spreadsheet after spreadsheet to ensure that I was getting the most bang for our buck.

I started obtaining quotes from the cake bakers around town (for a cake to feed 150 people). They were coming in at $800 and I couldn't get my jaw off the floor. The accountant in me did the math, with assistance of a calculator and was even more outraged to learn that one of those cakes would cost me $5.33 a person! No way. Not on my watch.

One day, our reception coordinator casually mentioned that she knew of a reasonable baker that has been making cakes out of her home for years. I called her as I was walking out of that meeting. I went over to her house, tasted some samples, looked at pictures of her past work, attempted to explain my vision or our cake, received a quote and signed on the dotted line. $350. The bottom two layers (one vanilla and one chocolate with butter cream frosting) fed 150 people, allowing us to take home the top layer. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She pretty much took this picture of a cake that I had in my mind and recreated it perfectly. We were quite pleased. To top it all off, it tasted just as good as it looked!

Lessons learned #13: You don't have to buy an expensive cake from a ritzy baker just because it's what you think is the best of what's around. Roll up your sleeves and start reaching out to your reception vendors, coordinator(s), etc. to see if they have worked with a reputable baker that won't send you a bill rivaling that of a weekend shopping spree at Anthropologie.

Indianapolis brides: please e-mail me if you would like the name and contact information of our wonderful cake baker.

Monday, December 8, 2008

I am in Kentucky for two weeks for work. Small town, thank-gawd-there-is-a-Walmart, Kentucky. So, I left the husband this morning with a gentle reminder to purchase stamps for our wedding thank-you cards, apply said stamps to said cards, and mail said cards at some point this week. Before I knew it I had an e-mail from the husband stating that he had purchased the stamps and was putting the cards in the mail.

I hit speed dial on my phone pronto to no avail. I resorted to a panicked e-mail to inquire as to what stamps he had bought. A response came stating "Liberty Bell Forever Stamps." My heart sank. I feverishly replied to the e-mail and pleaded for him not to affix the stamps if he hadn't already. But it was too late. The deed had been done. Our thank you notes, calligraphied with the perfect plum ink on darling white linen envelopes were defaced by the liberty bell.

And for a moment, like all of you, I cringed. But then, I got over it. After all, the husband was just doing what I asked of him! In fact, he did it so quickly that I didn't even have time to think that I should have specified that he buy these stamps or even these. Once I told him that I didn't really want to have the bell stamps on our envelopes, you could hear how disheartened he was. But he didn't know any better. He was just trying to accomplish a wedding-related task so that it would be hanging over my head. And that is just another reason why I love him.

So friends, our thank you notes are making their way to our guests, liberty stamp and all, and will be shared with all of you some time this week!

Isn't this invitation suite adorable?! Right down to the thank you note, above. From style me pretty.

Friday, December 5, 2008

I wasn't going to post anything today. And then, in going through some archives, I stumbled back across jonathan canlas' work and spent my lunch hour catching up on the weddings he has shot recently. I was and am amazed at his work.

So, today's post has not just one pretty picture, but many. All from this weddingThe stunning bride and groom in one of my favorite pictures, to date.

The two pictures above and below should be blown up, framed, and sitting on their mantle or hanging above a fireplace. Don't you agree?

As if her dress wasn't gorgeous enough, check out her shoes!

And the bridesmaid dresses!!!!!! Are you kidding me!? Dear friends that are not yet married, but will be soon and are going to have me be a part of your wedding party (ahem debbie), please please please please please let these (in any color combo) be your BM dresses. I will love you forever.

One last favorite. This on has Christmas/Holiday card written all over it, don't you think!? lovely pictures via: jonathan canlas photographyP.S. Do you tweet tweet or twitt twitt? If you aren't already, you can follow me on twitterhere.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Remember this picture from yesterday's post?! I just had to find out more about this wedding, originally posted at once wed. Friends, if the old car with the ribbon and tin cans, the quaint white church, and that adorable suitcase carried by the bride wasn't enough to make you fall in love with this wedding, look what's next. Toss balls. Looking for something unique for guests to toss as you exit your church/ceremony venue?! Worried that bubbles will stain your dress (FYI: they didn't stain mine!)? Not wanting to shell out the moolah for real (or silk) rose petals that are a pain to clean up? Toss balls are the answer my friends.This bride got creative and resourceful. She found acrylic pom pom balls (at any craft store) in her wedding colors, made adorable containers adorned with the name of the bride and groom, tied them with ribbon, and filled them to the brim. Tell me guests wouldn't be delighted to shower you with these?!

Another adorable detail, the four wreaths that hung in the windows of the church. Just delightful.

Check out the wedding via the link above to see more details from this wedding. And let me know if you allow your guests to shower you with toss balls (which would be so easy to clean up afterwords, unlike roses or streamers)!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Just a follow-up on yesterday's post on getting away. Diana from Another Beginning made the comment "you could rent a sweet convertible for the entire day for much less than a limo! And you still get the photo op!" adorable picture found at life love lipstickSo true. Please, friends don't be the bride that gets a limo just to get a limo! Look into getting a convertible or antique car to rent for the two of you to share the whole day. Have a family friend with a pretty ride drive you around (it can be their wedding present to you) on your wedding day. At the end of the day, you'll find yourself saving, just like we did, "I'm so glad that we didn't spend all that money on a limo!"

photo by lisa lefkowitz found via ritzy beeAnother bonus to a convertible car (or a car you can roll down the windows): When we left the church and rode around town for a while with the top down, so many people waived and honked after seeing that we were a newly married bride and groom. It left me smiling from ear to ear. If you're in a limo, no one can see you! Just a thought.

Side note 1: I am totally supportive of limo's/party buses if they serve the purpose of getting the bridal party to and from the pictures in between the ceremony and the reception or if you have quite the distance between venues.

Side note 2: My friends Jenn and Stephen rented a party bus for 2ish hours in between the ceremony and the reception. It transported the wedding party AND their dates/significant others from the church to downtown Cincinnati for pictures and then to the reception hall. It was beyond amazing because there was plenty of room for everyone (and coolers) and the bridal party's significant. others/dates didn't have to sit around for a miserable and lonely 3 hours in between the venue change.

Side note 3: If transporting your whole bridal party is a must and you are a fan of thinking outside the box, why not rent a school bus for your travels!? The idea has been featured on plenty of photographers blogs, and the resulting pictures are quite adorable. You can rent a school bus for the day (in Indianapolis) for around $300. So I think that this idea would work on any one's wedding budget.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Previously in the post, tying the knot: the bubbles and the get away, I shared some of my favorite pictures of our exit from the church. Now, it's time to let you all in on the details behind our exit and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

Originally, I wanted to do something different for our exit from the church. I thought that ribbon wavers were the answer. I could make them myself, use ribbon in our wedding colors and end up with some fabulous pictures from the exit.

But then I priced it out. By the time it was all said and done, each ribbon waver would cost me about $.60. Seeing as how I wanted to make 100 of them, I had to consider if the ribbon wands were worth $60 (plus time and labor) in my eyes. By the time I got around to actually making this decision (2 weeks before our wedding), I was worried that guests wouldn't want to shake the wavers, never wanted to see another DIY project, and didn't think that our exit picture was worth the $60 in supplies that it would cost to make the wavers.So I went to Walmart and found a box of 100 little bubble vials in the bridal/craft section for $14.99. And that, my friends, was how easy my mind was made up. Bubbles it was.

Thus, Lesson learned # 11. Price out your exit strategy. In the end, just go with the bubbles. Kids and adults love blowing bubbles and the pictures always turn out wonderfully.

Speaking of pricing it out, before you get your heart set on a limo or party bus...start calling around. These pretty rides cost more than you think, and most come with a minimum time requirement. Since we couldn't rent the limo/bus for just an hour to take us from the church to the reception, we were going to get it for 4 hours to take us to the from the hotel to the church and back. The quotes for a limo started trickling in at $150+ an hour. Plus 20% gratuity. Bare minimum we would be paying $750 for the limo (buses were even more expensive) and attempting to squeeze our 16 member bridal party (plus a cooler...haha) inside one.

When we started looking at the logistics of our day, a limo/bus just didn't make sense. We had Chris and the GM take their photos first. Then the BM's and I joined for our group shots. After that, the GM left the photo site and returned to the hotel to get their dates/significant others and headed to the church so that they could be there in time to hand out programs/usher guests to their seats as they arrived. The BM's and I took our pictures together once the GM's left and then headed back to the hotel together. The BM's took their dates/significant others to the church and Chris and I rode together, in his car to the church. It worked out perfectly. My uncle had his convertible waiting for us as we exited the church and it made for a couple cute photos and didn't cost a dime.

Lessons learned #12: Unless your ceremony venue and your reception venue are eons apart or you are going to take pictures in between the ceremony and the reception, you don't have to rent a limo/bus for your wedding day. Although they do make for some cute photos, they also can take a huge chunk out of your budget. No BM likes to be squished into a limo next to the GM that she is paired up with anyway. Most of the time, it's just not worth it. Instead, ask family and friends if they know of a "cool" car that the two of you can borrow for the day. You'll get some extra (and well deserved) time alone and the pictures will be just as adorable, see below.

I thought it would be fun to take a minute and recap the various polls that I have ran on my blog and let you know how your results compared to actual results!

Blog Header Poll: 57 of you said that you loved the header with the shoe shot in the middle! So, take a peak! The new header is simply adorable and I hope that you love it too!

Pick & Choose Our Invitations: The second invitation design had the most votes, but when it came down to it, I didn't have enough time or patience to totally re-do the invitations. So I went with #1, the original, with some minor changes. For the most part, I am at peace with how they turned out.

Perfect Plum Peeps: The majority of readers, told me to go with the plum peep toe shoes on our wedding day over the traditional bridal white shoes or both white and plum shoes. And that's exactly what I did! And I think that we all love the results!

Ribbon Wavers: Most of you wanted to see the ribbon wavers be a part of our exit strategy, with 17 of you vouching for bubbles. When I priced it out, the ribbon wavers would have cost me $75 + countless hours of labor to make. And I just didn't have the time, nor the desire to spend money on dowel rods. So we went with the bubbles. For $14. And I couldn't have been happier.

Veil: High or Low. I wore the veil low, as the majority of you voted for. It worked with my hairstyle and it worked for all of the hour that I actually wore the veil.

Anticipated Moments. Most of you were looking forward to the first look, and I assure you that it was everything that you will ever imagine it to be. But the other options (getting ready, walking down the aisle, the pronouncement, and the first dance) were just as wonderful.

The Registry. We took your advice and registered at BB&B and Macy's. But we skipped Crate & Barrel, since there wasn't a store in Cincinnati (where half of our guests resided). I would like to say that our Target registry worked out just fine, after all the horror stories we heard (about difficulty of returns). FYI: If the Target item was purchased off your registry and you want to return it, go to the bridal registry kiosk at the store, print off your purchase log/completion list and present it to the service list. You'll get a merchandise credit. No problem.

RSVP We went with the standard RSVP reply that you suggested, "accepts with pleasure or declines with regret." The RSVP's turned out perfect, so thanks for helping with this little dilemma!

Cards or Chart I made a seating chart, seen here. Most of you voted for the seating chart over an escort card and I have to admit that it was perfect. We put it on an easel in the hall outside of the cocktail hour. As the guests entered they were able to find their respective tables and sign our blurb guest book. We saved paper and a lot of hassle (cutting, set-up, and clutter of escort cards). More details on the seating chart to come in a future post!

Balls or No Balls We went with no poof balls (inspired by this bride). Even though most of you loved them, we didn't want to distract from the beauty of the church and I didn't want to force my MOH to fold pieces of tissue paper for months in order to make the balls. In fact, we had no church pew decorations at all, and I don't think that anyone noticed/cared.

Rehearsal Dinner Invites Chris' Mom was kind enough to send out rehearsal dinner invitations. She picked them out herself , and they were adorable. The majority of you said that they aren't necessarily necessary and the need for a formal invitation of the rehearsal dinner just depends on the situation and the guests that you are having. I agree completely.

Reception Seating The majority of you voted for a sweetheart table, but we were lucky enough to be to make up our own seating arrangement. A post on this aspect of our wedding day is soon to follow!